Hardware

Returning TXVA Computer
it was better than what we had the two years ago, but we have since had to upgrade.
what we HAD:
3rd grade: Desktop:
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HP Compaq dc5850 Microtower PC
HP Compaq Business Desktop dc5850 - Sempron LE-1250 2.2 GHz RAM 1 GB - HDD 1 x 80 GB - DVD - Radeon 3100 - Gigabit Ethernet - Vista Business / XP Pro
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and what we upgraded to this year out of our own budget
4th grade Desktop:
HP Pavilion Slimline s5670t CTO with Intel

• Intel Core i3-540 dual core processor
• 512 MB ATI Video
• 4 GB DDR3-1333MHz SDRAM
• 750GB 7200 rpm SATA 3Gb/s hard drive
• Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
• Lightscribe 16x DVD

and this will work for a stationary desktop.

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BUT

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we really need portability (gone 26 weeks out of the year) sooooo with that in mind we just ordered:
hybrid: larger and more powerful than a netbook, smaller and more portable than a laptop:
5th grade: HP Pavilion dm1z series

- 11.6" diagonal High Definition HP BrightView
- Weight 3.52 lbs
- AMD Dual-Core Processor E-350 (1.6GHz, 1MB L2 Cache)+AMD Radeon(TM) HD 6310M
- 4GB DDR3 System Memory (2 Dimm)
- 128GB (Solid State Drive Flash Module)(much more durable if dropped)
- Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit

Sweet Tomatoes

Flash Mob Party

New Do

Pearland - Independence Park

PotLuck Picnic, share Amish Friendship starter dough. Adults just sat around talking about priorities and objectives, kids ran free and had fun making friends.

New Haircut

long term goal

http://www.calpoly.edu/

what is expected:
GPA: 3.84
SAT: 1215 (math/reading only)
ACT: 26.8

San Luis Obispo, CA 93407

College of Science & Mathematics

Baby Rock Hound

Publications Home

Search For Pubs

TxShop Online Purchasing

Order From the Bureau

Texas Rock Kit (RK) Each kit includes eight specimens that are approximately ½ inch in diameter. A card with a description of each rock or mineral is also included in the kit. The cost per kit is $1.50 plus tax and shipping . (Personal credit cards, cash, and personal checks are taxable; scouts and credit card over the phone or school district cards and checks are tax exempt.) The rocks and minerals in the rock kit may change from time to time, according to their availability, but the kit will most likely contain calcite, granite, basalt, sandstone, gneiss, limestone, chert, schist, milky quartz, feldspar, or talc. Each kit will always include the three rock families: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Sorry, but we cannot customize our rock kits. We sell thousands of rock kits each year to teachers, students, and the general public. If you are interested in purchasing a large order (more than 100 kits), please let us know 2 months in advance of your event so that we can start working on it. We work on each order as it arrives and do not have a large inventory. Contact the BEG book store for more information. Eight samples of Central Texas rocks, 1 data card. RK0001, $1.50 (plus tax). Contact Publications Sales for ordering information.

The Texas Virtual Rock Kit is designed for people who want to know more about Texas rocks and minerals. Click on each specimen for a more detailed description.

Here is the list and description of additional rocks and minerals that may be substituted in the rock kit: Milky quartz Feldspar Gneiss We would like to thank and acknowledge these Texas mineral producers who have graciously donated rocks and minerals, presently and in the past, for the rock kits: Austin White Lime Company Cactus Canyons Quarry Cold Spring Granite Company Martin Marietta Materials Oglebay Norton Industrial Sands Texas Architectural Aggregate Vulcan Construction Materials Zemex Industrial Minerals Would you like to know more about other BEG publications? Visit the online BEG teachers and students list of publications. The Bureau of Economic Geology (BEG) is a major research unit at The University of Texas at Austin and also serves as the Texas Geological Survey. Our state survey mission includes providing information about Texas geology to the public, such as that contained in our Texas rock kit. Celebrate Earth Science Week - Visit the Texas ESW website for more information.

I ordered 25 kits, the shipping was $9.75, the total cost was $47.25 so about $2 a kit.

Progress and Attendance

Report Cards are nearly ready...

here is our year in review and how we did not move smoothly, but towards the goal we did move.

the goal was 3% per week, that rarely happened with any consistency, usually we just feast and famine our way through the year.

Charismatic about Virtual Schooling

in search of Recipe for Kool-aid.

bawahahaha

Charismatic leaders are able to use their personal charm to get things done. This can be an extremely powerful way to lead others. In fact, such strong charismatic influence can be achieved over followers that these leaders can make certain individuals accomplish some pretty extraordinary tasks.

Imagine, making a difference in our kids lives by simply deciding that enough is enough, and taking charge of our kids education ourselves. Deciding what we will or will not teach on a daily basis, making changes immediately as our children need it instead of waiting for a school board meeting, or someone signing a petition and sending it through proper channels in Austin and still not getting the job done.

Charismatic leaders have the ability to sense the gap that exists between what an organization is delivering to its followers, and what the followers need from an organization. This allows the leader to create a vision of a future state that everyone believes will be better than today's environment.

OMG, this is hysterical... what is our vision? what are we going to do? if we can facilitate a little change today, imagine what we can do to shape our school tomorrow? I am rocking this and loving the potential!

The charismatic leader often articulates this vision using metaphors and stories in ways that everyone can understand the vision. The followers see the leader as one that possesses the ability to visualize the future with clarity. The followers are also able to see how they fit into this future state, and believe it will be better than today.

I think they are singing my song and preaching to the choir. heehee, I am writing in metaphors about metaphors. that is too much.

Charismatic leaders achieve their vision through persistence and personal sacrifice. These leaders become role models for their organizations. Since followers share in the vision, they are empowered to make decisions that move the organization more quickly towards the goal.

Final nail in my coffin, dedicating a lot of hours to making not only my children's educational and social experience the best it can be, but when I suggested to my husband that I thought I needed to start organizing the TXVA Sweetheart dance (Prom) he flat out said NO, I was not allowed to volunteer for one more project, that it was already sapping the last of my strength doing what I was doing so far. seriously, I just know if I moved some things around, I could pull off one more activity. It would just be one more committee, two committee meetings a month for the next year, only one hour a week right? RIGHT?

Stargate SG-1: Sacrifice

Stargate SG-1: Sacrifice Moon [Kindle Edition]

Julie Fortune (Author)

DONE

Stressful Registration Process

Some believe that anything short of highly structured private boarding prep school, while others are in the camp of un-schooling and consider anything more than two hours a day causing undue stress on a child and violating it's civil rights.

There are two closer to the center thoughts of public schooling, brick and mortar where rigid procedures and protocol bind the students into a tight mesh of restraint, or virtual school that are flexible alternative solutions to achieve structured and accountable solution.

TXVA is a grassroots approach to the dynamic solution. Because it is built and run by caring humans instead of a polished cold hard corporate omnipresence, it is more humane, more flexible and more susceptible to errors. It is a co-op of humans that truly want to provide the best solution for those that are in line with the thinking that one size does not fit all. That being said, it is not a good fit for those parents that really have little tolerance for errors, mistakes, and percieved hassles. It is run by parents, for parents and the sole purpose is not to torment all parents simultaneously, but to actually get a curiculum out the door that tax payers are entitled too, but can not get by themselves without a charter co-op to facilitate that end.

I truly believe that a tolerant spirit will go a long way to achieving a positive attitude and successful year.

Reading is Everything

Books Rock in our house.

Lake Conroe

Lots of Sun Screen, some chips, salsa, and ice cold drinks, it was a HOT day but lots of fun splashing around in the lake.

Soaring Eagle Cub Scout Day Camp

26 hours of fun in learning.

Texas Badge Requirements

to do: visit a historical place - Shannon Forest Park

Archery

Belt loop 6/10/11

BB

Belt loop and Pin 6/10/11

Art

Belt loop 6/8/11

Softball

Belt loop 6/8/11

Soccer

Belt loop 6/10/11

WEBELOS II

Artist Badge (to do: make a frame for artwork, scrapbook, & mobile)

Fitness Badge (to do: weekly record of meals)

Readyman Badge

Sportsman Badge
Citizen Badge

A lot of Hard work

I Couldn't Make this up if I wanted to

they drive each other nuts when they are together,

they missed each other after being apart for 4 weeks.

Digital Yearbook

2010-2011 Amundsen Yearbook from Kat Amundsen on Vimeo.